The invention relates to automobile seals, especially a seal that is used between the rear trunk compartment of an automobile and the decklid covering the compartment.
One of the decklid seals presently used has a U-shaped channel which is like that shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,348,443 and 4,143,497 in that a number of similarly designed resilient fingers are employed to grip an outstanding flange which extends around the trunk compartment. It has been found that in cases of severe curvature, e.g. 90.degree. corners, the resilient fingers tend to collapse against each other and the adjacent legs of the channel somewhat like the positions of the fingers 21 shown in FIG. 3 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,898. This has an adverse effect on the seal which has been found to leak occasionally. The invention is directed to providing a highly improved seal in which leakage is eliminated.
Briefly stated, the invention is in the, seal of a trunk lid or deck lid which comprises a U-shaped piece of metal which is embedded in, and coextensive with a similarly shaped rubber channel which has a pair of legs that are connected by a web. Further, a plurality of resilient fingers extend inwardly of one of the legs in the direction of the other leg and web. On the other leg opposite the fingers, is a hollow half-moon-shaped bulbous portion which extends inwardly towards the opposing fingers. Unlike the bulbous portions 32-34 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,364 which have smooth outer curved surfaces, the bulbous portion is provided with a number of outwardly extending nibs which coact with the fingers to firmly grip the outstanding flanges of the trunk compartment and seal the spaces between the flange and legs of the rubber channel.